Sources - Jets owner proposed benching Aaron Rodgers on Sept. 30 - ESPN

After falling to 2-2 with a one-point loss to the Denver Broncos, New York Jets owner Woody Johnson called an internal meeting on Sept. 30 with his top football people. In that meeting, Johnson — concerned about the direction of the team — broached the idea of benching quarterback Aaron Rodgers, multiple sources confirmed to ESPN.

Johnson's alleged suggestion, first reported by The Athletic, triggered different reactions. One source, who attended the meeting, indicated that it was «said in jest in a provocative nature.» Others in the meeting interpreted it differently.

One source said Johnson appeared to be serious, while another said, «If Woody really wanted Rodgers benched, he would've been benched.»

Rodgers survived the threat — it's unclear whether he knew about it — but two people in the meeting are no longer with the team. Eight days later, Johnson fired coach Robert Saleh after three-plus seasons. On Tuesday, general manager Joe Douglas met the same fate after five-plus seasons on the job.

The Jets (3-8), one of the NFL's biggest disappointments, are poised for an organizational reset in the offseason. The search for a new GM already is underway, Johnson announced Tuesday.

The Sept. 30 meeting, previously reported by ESPN, turned out to be a watershed moment in the season. It created tension in the building, with one source saying at the time that Johnson was «out for blood.»

Typically, Johnson meets with Douglas and Saleh after every game. This one was a larger scale meeting because it included the three coordinators and other members of the front office, which changed the tenor. People were stunned when Rodgers' job status was mentioned.

The four-time MVP didn't play particularly well in the 10-9 loss to the